the only plumbing available. So, uh.. I’ve informed people to keep things as clean as possible. Oh, and to keep the door closed. We could make them take their business outside, but I’d rather keep the door closed as much as possible so we don’t have to redo the seals.”
Tauran chuckled despite the fatigue beginning to seep into his bones. “You’re doing excellent work. How’s Emilian holding up?”
“Better than I’ve seen him in a long time.” Catria returned his smile. “He’s tired. We’re all tired. But something heavy inside him has lifted. The truth really can set you free.”
“I bet,” Tauran said softly. “Kalai?”
“He’s with Leyra. Get some rest, okay?”
Tauran nodded and returned her hug despite the ache in his ribs.
A gentle touch to his elbow gave him pause. He turned.
Jasper stood in front of him, his reddish brown hair dusted gray with ashes. His face had lost some of its boyish softness in the months since Tauran last saw him, replaced with a seriousness Falka had no doubt put there, but there was a pride and determination in his eyes, bringing Tauran’s heart at ease. “I’ve been helping the others take off their dragons’ wing straps. They wanted to cut them up like I did, so…” Jasper smiled shyly and wiggled his knife. “I wanted to thank you.”
A sting of shame made Tauran glance away. He hadn’t exactly left Jasper in the best state when they’d last seen each other. “And I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did.”
Jasper’s lips parted, and he shook his head. “No, you were right! If I hadn’t kept my head down and followed Falka’s orders, he might have had me hung. There’s no way I would have been strong enough to go against him. And if he’d hurt Flora…” He shivered visibly and looked over his shoulder at Flora making a nest on top of Jasper’s jacket, comically small for her size. “So, thank you.”
Tauran smiled and wrapped an arm around Jasper’s shoulder, squeezing lightly. “You have a good head on you, kid. Better than mine,” he said, making Jasper flush a deep red.
“What’ll happen to the Sky Guard, now?”
Tauran blinked. Opened his mouth and closed it again. It seemed too big a question. Something he couldn’t yet think about, like with Roric. “I don’t know, yet. But things will be different.” That, at least, he knew with certainty.
Jasper returned to Flora, settling against her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her head when she placed it in his lap. With young men like Jasper in the Sky Guard, its future might not be so bleak.
Leyra wasn’t hard to find. Neither was Arrow, sitting between her front legs like a ghost, submitting to Leyra’s concerned licks of the cuts and scratches on his face and wings.
Nothing could have prepared for the wave of exhaustion and relief rushing through Tauran when Kalai stepped out from under Leyra’s wing and came to him. Tauran all but collapsed into Kalai’s arms, then forced himself to stand upright, since Kalai was no doubt as tired as he was.
“I used a bit of the drinking water to clean the cut in Leyra’s wing.” Kalai’s voice was muffled, his face pressed firmly against Tauran’s shoulder. “I didn’t get a chance to look over your injuries after what they did to you in that cell. How’s your leg?”
“You’re fussing,” Tauran murmured, but he was thankful for it. It felt like an eternity since he’d had the chance to surrender to Kalai’s embrace, to really let himself relax. “How are the dragons? We were out there for a while.”
“Some of the young ones are still coughing, but it doesn’t look too bad. Do you think I should go another round and check?” Kalai raised his head, a line of concern between his brows.
Tauran shook his head, brushing Kalai’s tousled hair back from his face. “Come.”
Tauran tugged Kalai with him to where Leyra lay. He sat against her side and pulled Kalai down on top of him.
“Your leg,” Kalai said again, as he straddled Tauran’s thighs.
“I don’t care about my leg right now.” Tauran wrapped his arms around Kalai and pulled him flush, feeling finally at ease with every line of their bodies pressed together. Kalai melted in his embrace until his full weight was on Tauran, calming him, grounding him.
“I’m so tired,” Kalai whispered. “Do you think things will be okay?”
“Yeah. I think things will be okay now,” Tauran said, and then, because he couldn’t